North Korea performed its third nuclear test today, saying that it was an act of self-defense against the United States.

According to North Korea's Foreign Ministry, today's test was the first response with maximum restraint.

"If the United States continues to come out with hostility and complicates the situation, we will be forced to take stronger, second and third responses in consecutive steps," North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

North Korea is one of the most sanctioned states for its previous nuclear tests, but after today, the U.S. and its allies plan on "augmenting" these sanctions.

"The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community" said U.S. President Barack Obama. "The United States will also continue to take steps necessary to defend ourselves and our allies."

North Korea has said in the past that Washington's aim was to "eliminate the political ideology and system our people have opted for."

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, today's nuclear test measured "approximately several kilotons" while the first North Korean nuclear test in 2006 was under 1 kiloton and the second in 2009 was about 2-7 kilotons.

At first glance, U.S. security officials said the test seemed to use a plutonium-based prototype weapon (as did the previous two tests, but this was the latest version). More samples would have to be collected with the United States' WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft to determine if uranium was used.

North Korea's actions today has drawn criticism from many member states of the United Nations. The U.S., Japan, Russia, South Korea and China are a few that have denounced the test and urged North Korea to talks. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe even said that this test was a "grave threat."

China is especially upset by the test, since it is a permanent member of the Security Council and North Korea's main economic and diplomatic ally. North Korea's defiance just goes to show that Beijing doesn't have the power or influence it thinks it has with the country.

The problem with all North Korean peace proposals is that they refuse to recognize South Korea as a legitimate state. They see it as a puppet of the U.S., and thus all their proposed peace treaties are between the U.S. and North Korea only. This follows in line with the ceasefire negotiations which were held between the U.S. and North Korean military.

The U.S. has insisted that any permanent peace treaty has to cover all major combatants - South Korea, North Korea, The U.S., Japan, Russia (in lieu of the USSR), and China. And has to include recognition of South Korea as a legitimate state.

That's why the North Korean peace proposals have been rejected out of hand. Because what is the point of signing a peace treaty which officially declares South Korea to be a non-nation?

I'd also suggest hitting Youtube and watching some North Korean propaganda videos (especially the children's cartoons). Then you'll start to understand the paranoia and distorted worldview that governs everything North Korea says and does.

You are wasting your time on people like that. They believe what they want to believe: the US sucks and is evil and North Korea is really the good guy who is just misunderstood and just wants to have a "unified" Korea if only everyone would agree with their delusional, unicorn-worshiping world.

"Nowadays, security guys break the Mac every single day. Every single day, they come out with a total exploit, your machine can be taken over totally. I dare anybody to do that once a month on the Windows machine." -- Bill Gates